ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Eighty-four percent of millennials say an employer’s development and training offerings are an important consideration when accepting a new job, according to a survey conducted by the American Staffing Association. Seventy-nine percent of baby boomers and 79% of Gen Xers agree, along with 70% of Gen Z surveyed.

Despite the high level of importance Americans place on their employer’s ability to develop and train them, only 39% of all respondents say that their current employer is helping them improve their current skills or gain new skills to do their job better.

“For employers looking for an edge in 2022, investing in training and development could make the difference in competing in the war for talent,” said Richard Wahlquist, president and chief executive officer at the American Staffing Association. “Employees are looking to employers to provide the job training they need to elevate their careers. During the Great Resignation, if an employer is not willing to train and upskill its workforce, those employees may begin to look for an employer that will.”

Employers who already have the edge look to e-learning tools, such as NACS e-Learning Powered by Ready Training Online. The right training and development tools can position store employees for success, leading to increased retention, better customer service and ultimately more profits. Through NACS e-Learning Powered by Ready Training Online, we offer the most comprehensive solutions for a variety of training needs. More information is available at NACS e-Learning.

Automation is also a concern for employees, with 37% of respondents worrying that automation will cost them their jobs. Close to half of Hispanic/Latino employees (49%) worry that automation will eliminate their jobs, compared with 35% of Black/African-American employees and 33% of White/Caucasian employees.

In addition, 52% of millennial workers expressed worry about their job security due to automation, compared with 40% of Generation Z employees, 30% of Generation X employees and just 20% of Baby Boomer employees.

“The acceleration of automation due to the pandemic has only increased the importance of employer investments in workforce training and development,” added Wahlquist.

When workers leave their jobs, they’re not just resigning because of their pay, benefits and potential to grow, they also take note on how their coworkers feel about the culture of the work environment. Quitting becomes a contagion, and one reignition can breed a “hot spot.” A recent LinkedIn poll found that found that of more than 21,000 LinkedIn members, 59% said a colleague’s departure had led them to consider quitting as well.

The struggle to find labor has some companies rethinking job qualifications, as well as the types of incentives used to attract employees. Many companies are dropping education requirements and background checks for applicants, including The Body Shop, and CVS no longer requires college graduates to submit their grades, while UPS is offering jobs in as little as 10 minutes to some employees.

Are you looking to hire? NACS has conducted extensive research on what people want in jobs to help retailers communicate the context of jobs by showcasing how they tie into what applicants care about most and what they treasure from previous jobs. Additionally, NACS Magazine dived into how to hire the Gen Z workforce—by understanding what this generation wants from an employer.